ADVICE Needed --- SNAD and avoiding defect

[bookelph]

This whole return procedure is so confusing, I thought I’d better check in here to make sure I do it right.

Here’s the situation.

I  sold 3 books to a buyer (0 FB, newbie), who paid for all 3, combined payment.

Books mailed and delivered.

However, he obviously did not read the description. (That’s fine, happens occasionally, can’t force buyers to actually READ THE LISTING)

He filed a SNAD case on one of the books, with a message in the case that he thought they were about something else, so wanted to return them.

No problem, return has always been OK with me, I don’t get many.  Keep the customers happy, right?

So here’s the glitch. The SNAD case gives me one defect for the one item.

What about the other 2 items.

I have read that you have to file a cancellation case first (i.e. - -- buyer requested return),  then refund.

I have read that you refund first, then file a cancellation case right after.

What happens if I file a cancellation case for the other 2 items, and he does not respond.

I have to refund when the books are returned.

So do I refund on return for the one book (the SNAD Case), and then wait till he responds to the Cancellation Cases for the other 2 books before I refund for them?

In the past, I have refunded when a customer wanted to return a book, and ended up with a DEFECT.

Just want to make sure I do this right so I don’t somehow get 2 more defects.

Advice, please?

[pjcdn2005]

You shouldn't get a defect if you check off on the cancellation that the buyer changed mind/made a mistake or buyer returning for refund. I've heard that defects were given out for those reasons earlier on but that shouldn't happen now.  I'm more certain of the first choice though so I would use that one if I were you.

If you get the right customer service rep you might even be able to get the defect for the first book removed since the buyer admits that they made a mistake.

[bookelph]

Thanks pjcdn2005

The problem is that there are 3 items in this transaction.

One item has the SNAD filed for it.

For the other 2 items, I know I have to file 2 cancellation cases (buyer requested return).

My question is about the timing of the refund.

When he returns all 3 books, I have to refund.

Do I refund the part of the payment for the SNAD book, and then wait for him to reply to the cancellation cases

before I refund for those.

What happens if I refund for those 2 before he replies?

I just don't really understand exactly what triggers a defect.

"If you get the right customer service rep you might even be able to get the defect for the first book removed"

Well, I might try that, but I've heard it's a longshot - some do, some don't.

I can swallow this one defect. but I sure as heck want to avoid another 2.

There is just so much conflicting information on the forums, just don't know  what procedure is right.

[rose-dee]

If I understand what you've said, although the buyer only filed a SNAD on one book, he was unhappy with all three, and is therefore returning all three, correct?

If so, I would let the buyer know that you will refund him for all 3 books upon their return, and that you'll follow up with a cancellation request.  That is the best way to avoid a defect.  As 'pj' said, when you're prompted during the cancellation process, use the "Buyer purchased item by mistake or changed mind" option. 

There are 3 reasons for refunding first, then cancelling:

1) if you try to cancel first, the buyer could suspect that you're attempting to annul the transaction to get out of refunding, and refuse to accept the cancellation(s); but more importantly,

2) the refund is a sign of good faith that will make the buyer happy and make him more likely to agree to the cancellation(s); and

3) the eBay.ca staff have indicated that a refund where a buyer has changed his mind should be followed up with a cancellation (for the reason I noted) in order to avoid a defect. 

Incidentally, you probably already do this when cancelling, but I always message my buyer to explain that the cancellation request will be coming via eBay, not directly from me, and that accepting the cancellation will not impact them in any way.  I also usually ask that they process the acceptance as soon as possible upon receipt of eBay's message so that the transaction can be closed off.  I do this because I find that some new buyers don't understand the cancellation process (or even know it exists!). 

As you know, the INAD case on the one item will remain as a defect ("opened case") no matter what you do now -- unless the buyer specifically stated in an eBay message that he didn't read the description, in which case you might be able to try getting the defect removed by eBay.  However, you can avoid defects on the other 2 as noted above.  

If you use the above process and still get a defect on the 2 additional refunded/cancelled books, I'd call eBay and try to get them removed.  As 'pj' mentioned, it seems eBay was a little disorganized when they first rolled out the defect system, e.g. counting defects where they were not properly applicable, but things may have got sorted out now.

Still, it's ridiculous that sellers are penalized with defects for INAD claims in circumstances where the buyer doesn't read the description (which as we all know, happens a lot).  Hopefully he said something about his total lack of attention to the description that will help you to be able to get the 'opened case' defect removed. 

[bookelph]

Thanks rose-dee

Good advice and much appreciated.

I will file a cancellation request for the other 2 books, and email the buyer as you suggested.

Fingers crossed, hopefully it will work.

[mr.elmwood]

 I did not even bother reading Rose's answer as I know it is correct. I will phrase from my direction. eBay has already stated, one defect per transaction. My belief is that all three, combined, would be one transaction.

By surreptitious and choose a return option that does not indicate you made a mistake, like Rose no doubt said. 

There are rumblings that a lot of defects will not materialize after Aug 20, that are not the sellers fault. Choose a "not my fault" option for the refund.

[rose-dee]

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@mr.elmwood wrote:

eBay has already stated, one defect per transaction. My belief is that all three, combined, would be one transaction.

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I thought I'd clarify this, as I was going to add it in my previous post but it was getting a bit long (as usual).  

This is a complicated problem area created by eBay as a result of its defect programme.  Since they decided that a transaction will be counted only once as a defect, regardless of the number of defects on that transaction, it meant they were obliged to define what a "transaction" was.  Just like the real-life legal field, rules and laws get parsed, branched, interpreted and defined to the point where the whole is less than the sum of the parts and becomes rather ludicrous. 

In any event, my humble opinion having been expressed on the endless stupid hair-splitting of eBay rules, this is what eBay says about what constitutes one transaction -- from the 2014 Spring Update (I've added the bold emphasis): 

"A transaction is a purchase from a listing.  If a buyer purchases two or more identical items from the same multi-quantity listing, or purchases the same items in different variations such as color or size from the same multi-variation listing, that is considered one transaction.  If a buyer purchases items from four different listings from the same seller and combines them into one order, that would be counted as four transactions.  Note that the defect rate will not affect your performance rating until you have a transaction with a defect from 8 different buyers (5 different buyers to affect your Top Rated Seller status)." 

That last sentence is, I assume, supposed to be a concession to sellers, i.e. they are giving us a bit of leeway in counting defects.  Still, I'm not very reassured, as 5 defects can add up quickly in a year!

So I think in the OP's situation these would be 3 separate transactions (unless the items were purchased from one multi-quantity or multi-variation listing, which, from what the OP has said, didn't seem to be the case.